Reclining easy chairs are common in which, by means of various linkages, a footrest extends mechanically forwardly from a retracted position on a stationary base, the backrest tilts rearwardly and downwardly to a more horizontal orientation, and the seat slides forwardly when pressure is applied to the backrest. Such chairs are heavy and bulky. There are a number of variations on this basic design. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,495 issued to Gall which describes such a reclining chair in which the base moves away from an adjacent wall as the backrest is tilted downwardly. Again, such designs are complex, and cumbersome, with attendant costs of manufacture and problems of ongoing maintenance and mechanical breakdown.
There is therefore a need for a reclining chair which is easily moved from upright to reclining positions by the weight of the seated person, and avoids the mechanical complexity and weight of the prior art.